Var'rix
by Yuki Monotomo
Summary: Well here's my take on a scythe-wielding champ.
1. Quinn

A/N:

I've been watching the forums for some time now and everyone seems to want a scythe-wielding girl. Here you go.

Dirt? How long has it been since I felt this? It hurts to open my eyes. The sun is too bright. All of this feels so strange. I was in the darkness for so long. Or was I? Did time even pass? I push my fingers through the rocky soil to help myself get my bearings. I finally open my eyes, looking down at the brown and grey beneath me. Where am I? Wait, who am I? I'm wearing some sort of purple and blue robe. In my hand I have a long scythe, purple tendrils running down the length of it, stopping at my hand and wrapping itself around. I can't let go of it. I use the strange weapon to pick myself off the ground and look at my surroundings. Stone everywhere. Just rock and dirt as far as I can see ahead of me. I turn around to see if there is a way out. There's some sort of stone bed, but it looks worn. Had I been sleeping there? Using my scythe as a walking stick, I begin to head forward, hoping that I'll meet someone. Someone like me. Not another one of those monsters I had seen for so long. Even in the pure dark, I could make out some of their features. The tentacles, the teeth, the glowing eyes. I can't even look down at my left hand without thinking about it. "Anyone?" I call out to the nothingness. My voice is faint from exhaustion, but I have hope that someone will hear me. "Please." I try to call out again.

Some rocks slide down the wall of pure stone, and as I look up, I see someone. His strong figure looks familiar, but I'm not sure from where. "Everyone! Come quickly! I've found someone!" He slides down the rocks, using his giant blade to keep himself steady. He approaches me. "Are you alright?"

I can only manage to start crying as I collapse to my knees. It's another person. After all this time, another person.

"Garen, how is she?!" The voice catches my attention and I look up the rocks once more. This time seeing a woman, dressed in blue with a bird of the same color on her arm. I don't know who these people are, but I'm glad they happened by.

"Quinn, I think she may be injured! Get Akali and come back quickly!" the strong-looking man, who I now know is named Garen, calls back to the woman. He offers me a hand and I accept it, pulling me up to his arms. "Easy now. Who are you?"

"I. I'm." I don't know my name. I can't think of it. I try to think of the last name I heard. "Var'rix?" I try to steady myself of my scythe.

"Var'rix. I am Garen Crownguard of Demacia. What were you doing out here?" He introduces himself to me and asks me another question I don't know the answer to.

"I. I woke up here. That's all I know." I am telling the truth, but the look on his face shows that he doesn't believe me.

He utters an "uh huh", sounding like he is going to believe my story for now. As I steady myself against him, I can see how battle-worn he is. Scratches all over his armor, even pieces of it seem to be missing. "Listen, we're going to have someone check you out, then we're headed straight for the Institute of War. They'll figure out what to do with you." The large man looks at my left hand. I feel him study it before he speaks again. "I would ask you to remove your weapon, but that seems impossible."

"Yeah. I guess you're right." An awkward silence follows. I don't know what to say. Luckily, I hear a bird shrieking from above. It's the same eagle that Quinn had on her arm.

"Good job, Val!" I hear the woman's voice again from the top of the cliff-side. This time there is another woman with her, dressed in a white and red nurse's outfit.

"Garen, do you see any injuries?" The second woman, who I assume is Akali, asks the man who is still holding me up.

"Nothing that I can see beyond amnesia and her scythe." Garen lets go of me and heads to the cliff-side, where Akali gracefully skates down to meet him. While they talk quietly, the bird lands on my scythe. It brings its face close to mine, inspecting me. It shrieks, the sound piercing my ears before it snaps its beak at me.

"Valor! I told you not to do that!" Quinn, who must have made her way down the cliff while the bird was staring into my soul, shouts. The blue bird squawks once more at me before flying to Quinn's arm once again. "I'm sorry about that. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Other than the ringing in my ears, no." I answer honestly. "I don't think he likes me."

"Val doesn't like anyone." Quinn chuckles to herself, reassuring me that I'm not a special case of hatred. "I'm Quinn," she lifts up her arm to show the bird, "and this is Valor. He's a Demacian eagle. Trust me, he gets offended if I don't mention that." The bird squawks and the woman in blue takes an offended look on her face. "Valor! We just met her!"

"What did he say about me?" I want to ask how she understands him as well, but right now I don't care.

She turns from the eagle to me. "Trust me when I say it was something very, very nasty." She then turns her attention back to the eagle. "Behave yourself. We don't know anything about her."

"But, we're about to." The woman in the nurse's outfit steps forward, having finished her chat with Garen. "I'm Akali, a league nurse. Let's have a look at your hand."

I turn the scythe sideways to put my hand out to Akali, trying not to seem threatening, while Quinn helps me steady it to keep my hand in the air. As Akali tries to touch my hand, however, the tendrils lash out, whipping at her hand, leaving a red welt. The nurse jerks her hand away. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it would do that." As I look up from my hand, Garen has taken a defensive stand, Quinn is glaring at me, and Valor is following Quinn's lead.

Akali continues looking at my hand before nodding to Garen. "Get Kassadin before Malzahar shows up. Quinn, send Valor to keep an eye in the sky for the cult." She looks back into my eyes before giving me some words of comfort. "You'll be okay."

We stand, uncomfortably, for what seems like an eternity. I'm allowed to put my hand back to where it is comfortable, so I use the scythe to lean. Valor calls from above and dive bombs to Quinn. "We have to go. Now." She relays the message, short and sweet. Quinn grabs my right hand, pulling me with her. "This way. Akali, get back to Garen and Kassadin." Akali simply nods and runs off, opposite of us. As we begin to run back to the stony bed where I was spat out by the dark place. What was that place called again? I can't seem to remember even when I'm so close to where I ended my long, or short, journey ended. I can see people dressed in the same robes as me on atop the cliffs. Who were they?

Valor leads us to the very back of place we were in. Alaki said it was the league's quarry, which would explain all the rock and the mining equipment we were at. "Quinn, you should know it's futile to run from a prophet!" The voice echoes from above us. It's strange. Nobody's voice has echoed before this, so why is his voice different. The owner of the voice comes into view. Wearing purple robes as well, with blue splashed into the design. His arms are not covered, but he wears purple gloves. I think he's floating, but that's impossible, right?

"What do you want with her? We Demacians were taking her to the Institute." Quinn remains calm, using her hand to push me behind her. I don't even know what's happening here. Why am I so important to this man that he'd bring what seems to be an army. "We've already got Kassadin on the way."

"That fool? I have seen it through second sight. Why do you think I was waiting at the end of the quarry? I know that Kassadin is on his way, and I also know that he will not make it in time." The man motions for the other people in purple robes to scale down the cliffs. "Give up, Quinn. You would not be saving her. You would be stifling her. Snuffing out her gift instead of embracing it." Gift? What gift? The scythe? Or does this man know who I am? Is that why I can't remember anything?

Valor screeches, bringing me back out of my thoughts. He soars down, diving at the face of one of the cultists. A scream, then a pile of robes on the ground, clutching at their eyes. Quinn pushes me away, slamming her arm against her back, causing the crossbow on it to click onto her arm. Her accuracy is either deadly or poor, since she begins firing bolts into the legs of the small army. I see a flash of dark purple in front of me. It looks so much like that place. Has it come back to claim me? Screaming, I slice the scythe at the tear in reality. It just dissipates. Maybe this weapon closes those gates? Another tear. I slice it again. This time it stays there for a second before closing in on me. It hurts so much. I fall to the ground. I just want Garen to come back. He looks like he could fight off every single one of these people. Not like me. I'm useless. "Get up! Off the ground!" I recognize the cries. They're coming from Quinn.

I roll onto my back to see the people closing in on me. I don't even know where Quinn is. Valor flies again for another dive bomb at one of the cultists. He takes out another one, but its place is just filled again. I want to do something, anything. "Var'rix!" I hear Quinn one more time before I see the leader once again. His eyes are glowing as he levitates to me. "Take a nice nap now. You'll so be with your people." As he speaks, he stretches his hand out and I'm back in the same darkness that I left before, but this time, Quinn is screaming my name in the background.


	2. Malzahar

A/N:

Sorry if these seem a bit short. I'm trying to publish a chapter every day or so.

Warmth? Valor? No. Valor wouldn't get this close to me. Garen? No. He probably never removes that armor. Quinn? Again, Valor would never get this close to me and Quinn is never without him. I finally open my eyes. The room is strangely vibrant. Patterns of dark red, purples, and dark blues line everything. The warmth is from the covers on the soft bed I lay on and feel so silky smooth. Was it all a dream? I lift my left hand up to the light from under the covers, and the monstrous scythe comes with it. No, it was not. Where am I then? The last thing I remember was the darkness engulfing me once more. Perhaps this time I was placed somewhere more comfortable? Looking around the room, I see symbols that feel familiar, but I can't place them. The door creeks open and the man with glowing eyes levitates in.

"Finally awake, I see?" He closes the door behind himself as I scramble on the bed, trying to place as much distance between us as I can. "You may not want to move too much. Malefic Visions has the same effect on everyone, being swallowed by the Void. You, well, you know all about that, don't you?" His echoing voice fills the entire room.

"Who are you?" I ready the scythe the best I can. I still am unsure of how I would even try to fight with such a cumbersome weapon.

"Relax. I am Malzahar, Prophet of the Void. What is it that you call yourself now? After your journey, that is?" Eerily, he floats over to one of the chairs, having a seat.

"Var'rix, if you must know." What is his game that he's playing with me? Where are those people? What did they call themselves again? Demacians?

"I see, the name you screamed and cried over and over again while affected by the visions. Excellent. It is rather fitting for your state. Var'rix, if you would allow me, I could teach you. Teach you about your journey, about your abilities. Please, I'm not trying to hurt you like they were. They wished for you to go to the Institute of War, did they not? I am already bound to serve the Institute, myself. Believe me, you do not want the same shackles that I have." His voice, however creepy it is, is calming. He's also making a lot of sense. Why else would I go to somewhere called "The Institute of War" after I got spat out by darkness, other than to be a war machine? Those Demacians, they had weapons on them at all times, and that nurse was too swift on her feet.

"Malzahar. What was that place I was in? Before I was spat out?" I need to know at least what the place was called, so that I can stay as far away from it as possible.

"The Void, or Runeterra?" Malzahar stands back up, well, levitates back up. He comes closer to me before stopping at the foot of the bed. "Because you're on Runeterra again now."

"Again, what do you mean by again?" I'm sure that if I had been here before, I would remember it. Especially with the people that I've met so far and the experiences I've had, I'd remember something at least.

"The glorious Void swallowed you in, child. You were taken in, time passes there far different than it does here. How long was it for you? 20 years, perhaps? You've been missing here for about a year. Not that anyone would recognize you anymore with how much you've grown." He knows me! He knows me and something about before I was pulled into the inky blackness of the Void!

"Malzahar. Were we allies?" I'm still a bit hesitant around him, but who wouldn't be after they were just kidnapped?

He laughs for a second before pulling his mask down to show his smile. "Var'rix, my little girl, don't you remember even your own father?" My father?

"You're my father? That seems very unlikely, considering how old I am." I know he said time passes differently, but that wouldn't change the maturity of my body. Would it?

"Yes, my little voidling. Your mother and I conceived you before I was pulled into the Void myself. When I came out, I had seen the unspeakable horrors within, gained second sight to see the future, and I saw you, my only daughter, thrown into the Void by Kassadin. He thought throwing your body into the rift would close it for good. I'm so glad that he was wrong." Kassadin? Didn't Quinn mention that name before Malzahar and the cultists grabbed me? Quinn, Garen, and Akali didn't seem like bad people, even if Valor was a little rude, so I don't see why they would know someone who would do that to a child.

"Shouldn't we want to close the Void? You saw the same beings that I did. Tentacles everywhere, teeth sticking out from nothingness, glowing eyes. And you want that to stay open?" Kassadin sounds like a misguided man. I don't forgive him for throwing me into the darkness, but still, he tried to save our world from being destroyed by the one of monsters.

"Var'rix, don't you understand? You've seen those creatures. We have two choices: rise and die, or submit and live. I would like to live, for I've already seen your mother try to fight them. Now then, just stay in your room. Please, for your own safety." Malzahar leaves, closing the door behind him.

I curl back up under the covers, pulling the scythe close to me. It feels more comfortable to lay this way, but I'd rather be as far away from it as physically possible. I've just met my father, found out that I'm only a year older than I was when I was pulled into the Void, been torn away from my new friends that are actually my enemies, and discovered who put me in that terrible place to begin with. On top of everything else, I'm now trapped in a room that reminds me of those horrors that I've seen. I throw the covers off, shaking my head. This isn't the time to sulk. I need to find out if Quinn and Valor are okay. Looking around, I see what appears to be curtains. Quietly, I step to them and pull them open, revealing how high up I am. The brush below looks about the size of my thumb, so jumping into there doesn't seem like a good idea. I take another look around, but this time my own scythe catches my eye. The sheets! I can rip the sheets with this, tie them together, and use them to climb down!

It takes me some time, but after a few minutes, I slice up the sheets and tie them together as best I can. Luckily, I don't think father wants me to be seen by anybody else, so no one bothers me. I knot one of of the sheet rope to the window and throw the rest down. I can't quite tell if it reaches to bottom, but I don't know if I have much more time to check. Hooking the scythe to the windowsill, I grab the rope with my right arm, which is less strong than my left. I unhook the scythe and clip it onto one of the bricks on the side of the tower. It seems like it will hold my weight as I slide down. Another clip and slide. And another. Almost there. The brush is actually pretty big, how far was I up? I notice made the line too long, seeing the purple sheet twisting itself into a coil on the brush. It let go, scythe holding me in place. If I had known that I could hold myself like this, I would have done it sooner and not bothered the cut up the blanket. As I swing the scythe, I pull my body in on itself. If I'm landing on dirt under there, I want to roll. As luck would have it, I hit the dirt, roll through the brush, and I rip the robes I'm wearing on a few twigs. I dust myself off and begin running away from the tower.

It dawns on me, after what seems like an hour of running, that I don't know where Quinn, Garen, and Akali are. As disheartening as it is, at least I've ended up in a small town. Maybe they'll know who I'm talking about.

As I walk through the town, it seems eerily empty. Not a person in the streets and I can't see anybody in the windows. I can hear some talking in the distance, so I run to it, ducking behind one of the buildings.

"Noxian scum, tell me what you know!" I know that voice!

"I've already told you, I have no idea what you're talking about. If Malzahar were allied with Noxus, I'd already know. And maybe, just maybe, I'd help you find your new little friend. You can also drop the act while we're alone." It's some woman I've never seen or heard. I peek around the corner to see Garen standing across from a woman with striking red hair. She doesn't appear to be at all threatened by him. Is she an ally?

"Katarina, I don't know who else to ask. By the time Kassadin and I arrived, Quinn and Valor were knocked out and Var'rix was missing." He remembered my name!

"Garen, why does she have the name of a monster? Is she another Void creature or something? You haven't even given me a description of her. You just asked to meet me here, then began questioning me about Malzahar." She seems at a loss now, sighing heavily.

I decide to call out, maybe breaking the tension between the two. "Garen!" Both of them turn their heads to me. The woman pushes Garen away and draws two daggers from her side.

"Demacian dog! You brought backup!?" Her tone changes in an instant. "Is this why you lured me away from Noxian territory! I thought this was going to be a fair fight!" I don't know what is even going on here.

Garen pulls his blade out of the ground, pointing it to the woman. "You should know a trick like that is strictly Noxian! This is Var'rix! The woman who I was searching for!" He sounds so cool. In a second, however, the red haired woman is behind Garen with a flash, stabbing his armor with a small dagger.

"So you've got what you want, yet you draw your blade? Hoping to kill me while the odds are evened out? I suppose you couldn't kill me by yourself." She flashes away from him and laughs as Garen swings his sword wildly, spinning around in a circle. "I'll be on my way then, next time, try harder to ambush me!" She glares at me for a few seconds before speaking again. "And you. I'll have to get rid of you later." Before I have a chance to react, she's gone once again.

Garen stops spinning before looking over to me. "I thought my enemy might have information, so I wanted to duel her for it. Too bad we didn't get to fight this time." He looks me over, I'm sure he notices my damaged robes when he asks, "Are you okay? What did they do to you?" I know that I shouldn't let him know that Malzahar is my father, so I leave that bit of the story out as he begins to lead me somewhere safe.


End file.
